Be Still...

Hi friends! Short message today, but I believe it will bless somebody!

Today I want to share with you, something that I have been practicing a lot lately... being still before the Lord. It's been a diligent act of waiting, desiring, actively seeking the presence of the Lord. His presence is always surrounding us, but we are not always aware, and depending on how many distractions we have going on, not only around us, but also within us, it may require some real effort on our part to get to that place of actually experiencing His presence.

"Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved."- Psalm 62:1-2

I've found that spending this quiet time together with Him first thing in the morning, can reroute the entire journey of my day! I have also found the blessing in the peeling away of the distractions that tend to separate my mind from my Lord. That is not an easy process, but the reward is worth the "pruning". In order for something new to bloom, we must pluck away the dead bloom. It's the dead thing that can prevent the new life from springing forth.

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."- John 15: 1-2

Our flesh is the dead thing. It will return to the dust, but we are a new creation in Christ Jesus. Our flesh is truly suffocating our soul, which is in the core of our being. Our soul is where the Holy Spirit is seated, and that is what should reign, not the flesh that surrounds it. Our flesh ( our sinful nature, our desires, our egos and lusts, ) must decrease, so that the Holy Spirit can increase within us, and spill out through the flesh. We will always be tempted and imperfect, but we do not have to be bound to the flesh any longer.

"I say then, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." - Galatians 5: 16-17

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murderers, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."- Galatians 5: 19-21

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."- Galatians 5:22-24

"And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."- Galatians 5: 24-25

My mind tends to be very busy, by default, and it makes it difficult to stay focused, but I can choose to take each distracting thought and purposefully ignore it. I simply whisper "Jesus", time and time again. However many times it may take. This constantly redirects my thoughts back to Jesus. Can I tell you, the Lord doesn't mind! He is patient and loving. He is watching me work to find Him. He meets me there. The truth is that He stays there, knocking at the door of our hearts, but often we can't hear Him over the loudness of our priorities, and life. This is why I've decided that I will set a meeting with Him, and diligently seek to hear from Him, before the busyness of the day has a chance to catch up with me! Do you like coffee? I love coffee, not as much as Jesus, but you know, close....(haha!) I set up like a little morning coffee date with Him. I sip and seek! ( haha)

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."- Revelation 3:20

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."- James 4:8

The time in His presence is the number one priority. I worship Him, and allow His love to wash over me. I meditate on His Holy Word. What I have learned is that when He is ready, He will nudge me into releasing my petitions to Him, leading me into a prayer that is in alignment with His will, and not my own. Often, the prayer that I had planned to pray changes in this process. Sometimes we are praying things from our perspective and our desires, but they do not align with His desire for us. We have to remember that His ways are much higher and His will is always better. You actually can be holding Him back from doing a greater, bigger work in your life by praying in your own thinking. We must take on the mind of Christ, and the only way to do this is to spend time with Him and allow Him to renew our minds.

" And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."- Romans 12:2

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."- Philippians 2:5

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."- Isaiah 55:8-9

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me, and I will listen to you and you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."- Jeremiah 29: 11-13

This is very new for me, but oh my goodness, there is such an intimate connection that happens when you really become One with the Holy Spirit. Your prayer is like a song. You can almost hear it being sung in the Heavenly places!

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."- Jude 1:20-21

The trust that is being developed and elevated in a new way is indescribable. There is flesh that is dying in those moments, drawing you closer in a more tangible way. I don't know how else to describe it, but His voice, though still and small, seems to become louder, and more recognizable. You begin to really know His voice. It becomes the only thing that comforts you, like a baby who can only be consoled by his mother.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has give them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."- John 10:27-30

I just want to encourage you, friends, especially in a time, such as now, to really climb onto the lap of your Father. Let Him tend to you, his " little flock", and let Him give you rest, and allow Him to give you some real prayer strategy to live fully, the life He desires for you to live, until He returns to bring us home together with Him for eternity! What a day that will be!

"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."- Luke 12:32

Dear Heavenly Father,

We come to you, humble and weary in a world so full of distractions and uncertainty. We lay all of our fears and our desires at your feet. We ask you to examine them all in Your courts, and return to us, only the version that aligns with Your will for our lives. We need you, Lord, not just in our trials, but in every moment. We ask you, Father, to quiet all the noises that fight for our attention that is reserved for You. Help us to learn Your ways and Your voice that we would never listen to a strange voice that leads us away from You. Wash us clean with the blood you already shed on the cross, and make us more aware of Your presence. What we really desire is more of You, and we willingly decrease so that You would increase in us. Let your Holy Spirit reign in every place inside of us- Your light dissolving every dark place. We thank you, Lord, and we love you.

In the Holy name of Jesus, Amen.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please, send me a message, I'd love to connect with you and send you a free Bible. It will be the best decision you have ever made, and ever will make again in your life!

Blessings and Love!

xoxo

-Bethany Hope